Rovinj Old Town

Rovinj is a Venetian-built fishing town on the west coast of Istria, and it is the most photographed settlement in the region. The old town sits on a peninsula that was once an island and was filled in to the mainland in the 18th century, and its houses tumble down a steep hillside to the water, crowned by the tall bell tower of the church of St Euphemia, a 17th-century version of the campanile of St Mark’s in Venice.

The streets of the old town are narrow and crooked, built for a working fishing port, and they hold galleries, konobas and small shops, with laundry strung between the buildings. The harbour is still a working one, and the fish market and the boats at the quayside are part of the atmosphere. Below the town, the coastline runs out to a protected forest park, the Zlatni Rt, with its pine-shaded coves and the offshore islands of the Rovinj archipelago.

Rovinj is busy in summer, and it is one of the most popular bases in Istria because it combines the old town with reachable beaches and islands. The town was Italian-speaking well into the 20th century, and the bilingual character lingers.

For photographers, the bell tower from the harbour at dusk and the narrow lanes are the classics, best in the early morning before the crowds arrive. Walk out to the Zlatni Rt for the view back over the town.

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